Saudis test Japan's 'nap pods' for Haj

Makkah
: Mansour Al Amer swipes a card to reveal a narrow sleep pod, reminiscent of Japan's famed capsule hotels. But this pod is in Saudi Arabia, where the Haj just ended.

The kingdom has plan to introduce capsule rooms in the western city of Mina in the coming days, as an estimated two million Muslim faithful gather for the six-day Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam.

The free nap pods are part of new measures Saudi Arabia is rolling out this year in a bid to modernise Haj.

The government has also introduced apps for on-the-spot translation and emergency medical care.

Al Amer is the head of a Saudi charity, the Haji and Mutamer Gift Charitable Association, which is offerd between 18 and 24 capsule for pilgrims to nap during the Haj.

Each fibreglass pod - less than three metres long and just over one metre high - features a mattress, clean sheets, air conditioning and a large, well-lit mirror.

The pods can be lined up horizontally or stacked vertically to save on space.

"We are always thinking about pilgrims and how to make them more comfortable during the rituals of Haj," Amer told a news agency.

The nap pods provide a solution for pilgrims of limited means who cannot afford to book hotels on site but need a quick rest during Haj.

Each napper will have three hours of access to the pods, which are imported from Japan at cost of around US$1,114 (Dh4088.4) each.

When the pilgrim wakes for prayer time workers will sterilise the pod before handing it over to the next pilgrim.

"The idea already exists globally, in Japan for example, and in several cities across the world," Al Amer said.